WATER PURIFIER FOR A POOL

PURIFICATEUR D'EAU POUR PISCINE

English Abstract

The invention features a water purifier for purifying water in a pool having a
volume less than about 13,500 gallons. In general, the water purifier (10) has
a threaded fitting (22) that allows it to be removably-attached to a water-
exchange fitting (20), preferably on the side of the pool. The water purifier
contains a purification material for purifying the water. The purification
material preferably can be a silver-containing material.

French Abstract

L'invention concerne un purificateur d'eau destiné à purifier l'eau d'une piscine dont le volume est inférieur à environ 13 500 galons. D'une manière générale, le purificateur d'eau (10) présente un raccord fileté (22) permettant de le fixer de manière amovible à un raccord (20) d'échange d'eau, de préférence à l'extérieur de la piscine. Le purificateur d'eau contient une matière de purification destinée à purifier l'eau. La matière de purification peut de préférence être une matière contenant de l'argent.

Claims

1. A pool comprising:
a bottom portion;
a wall portion extending essentially vertically from said bottom portion,
said bottom portion and said wall portion providing a volume;
a water-exchange fitting extending through said wall portion and
opening into said volume; and
a water purifier having a plurality of openings into said volume and
comprising a purification material that can kill bacteria in water, said water purifier
being removably connected to said water-exchange fitting and having a surface that,
when connected to said water-exchange fitting, is substantially contiguous to said wall
portion and said purification material being selected from the group consisting of
particles larger than each of the plurality of openings and particles contained in a
porous container.
2. The pool of claim 1, in which the water-exchange fitting is female
threaded, further comprising a pump that is connected to said female-threaded
water-exchange fitting.
3. The pool of claim 2, wherein said female-threaded water-exchange
fitting is a water discharge fitting.
4. The pool of claim 1, wherein said water purifier further includes an
exposed surface that extends into said volume, said exposed surface having rounded
edges.
5. The pool of claim 1, wherein said water purifier extends less than 6
inches from said wall of said pool.

6. The pool of claim 5, wherein said water purifier extends less than 3
inches from said side of said pool.
7. The pool of claim 1, wherein said water purifier is circular.
8. The pool of claim 1, wherein said water purifier defines a chamber
having an internal volume of between 30 and 80 cubic centimeters.
9. The pool of claim 8, wherein said internal volume is substantially filled
by said purification material.
10. The pool of claim 1, wherein said water purifier further comprises anaccess through which said water purification material can be changed.
11. The pool of claim 1, wherein said volume is less than 7,500 gallons.
12. The pool of claim 1, wherein said purification material includes silver
and a ceramic.
13. The pool of claim 1, wherein said volume contains water comprising anoxidizing agent dissolved in said water.
14. The pool of claim 13, wherein said oxidizing agent comprises ozone,
potassium peroxymonosulfate or free available chlorine.
15. A water purifier for killing bacteria in water located in a pool having (i)
a volume defined by a wall portion and a bottom portion and (ii) a water-exchange
fitting extending through said wall portion, said water purifier comprising:

a chamber for containing a purification material that kills bacteria in
water, said chamber having an internal volume;
a water inlet that permits water to enter said water purifier, said water
inlet having a fitting complementary and for connection to said water-exchange fitting;
a water outlet that permits water to exit said water purifier; and
a fluid path located between said water inlet and said water outlet; and
in which
said purification material comprises a plurality of particles either larger
than the water outlet or contained in a porous container; and said water purifier has a
surface that, when connected to said water-exchange fitting, is substantially contiguous
to said wall portion.
16. The water purifier of claim 15, further comprising an exposed surfacehaving rounded edges.
17. The water purifier of claim 16, further comprising a housing containing
said chamber and including said water inlet and said water outlet, said housing having a
height of less than 6 inches.
18. The water purifier of claim 17, wherein said height is less than 3 inches.
19. The water purifier of claim 17, wherein said housing is circular.
20. The water purifier of claim 19, wherein said housing has a diameter of
between 3 and 12 inches.
21. The water purifier of claim 15, wherein said internal volume is between
30 and 80 cubic centimeters.

22. A water purifier for killing bacteria in water located in a pool having (i)
a volume defined by a wall portion and a bottom portion and (ii) a water-exchange
fitting extending through said wall portion, said water purifier comprising:
a chamber for containing a purification material that kills bacteria in
water, said chamber having an internal volume;
a water inlet that permits water to enter said water purifier, said water
inlet having a fitting complementary and for connection to said water-exchange fitting;
a water outlet that permits water to exit said water purifier;
a fluid path located between said water inlet and said water outlet; and
a movable door for accessing said chamber and changing said
purification material; and in which
said water purifier has a surface that, when connected to said
water-exchange fitting, is substantially contiguous to said wall portion.
23. A pool according to claim 1 in which the purification material is
selected from the group consisting of particles larger than each of the plurality of
openings and comprises a monolithic foam.
24. A water purifier according to claim 15 in which the plurality of particles
are larger than the water outlet and comprise a monolithic foam.

Description

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~ W ATF~ P~n~TFIF.R ~OR A POOT,
rolm~l ofthe Jnvention
The invention relates to water purifiers.
It is hlll)G~ to have a reliable method for purifying
S water in ~willllllillg pools. In many situations, water is purified to
remove micro-org~ni~m~ such as bacteria or algae, and h~rmfill metal
ions, such as mercury, lead and copper. Purification of pool water can
be accollll,lished by filtration and by adding chPmic~l~ like chlorine,
bromine, or silver ions to the water.
One type of above-ground poo}, commonly known as a
"splash pool," is relatively ine,~ e and typically has a volume of
less than about 7,500 gallons. A splash pool usually has a low
horsepower pump, e.g., between 1/25 and 1/2 horsepower, for
recirc~ tin~ water in the pool. The pool water can be filtered and is
ordinarily purified by adding f~hlorine
Snmm~ry of the Inventi- n
The present invention features a water purifier for
;Çyillg water in a pool having a volume less than about 13,500
gallons. In general, the water purifier has a threaded fitting that allows
it to be removably-att~he~l to a water-exçh~nge fitting, ~l~Ç~ably on
the side of the pool. The threaded fitting on the water purifier
preferably is male-threaded and the water-exçh~nge fitting preferably
is female-threaded. The water purifier contains a purification m~teri~l
for purifying the water. The purification m~teri~l plcrel~bly can be a
silver-co.. lS~ini.-~ ceramic material.

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The water purifier preferably includes a housing having
a chamber for cont~inine the purification material. The housing also
includes a water inlet and a water outlet. The housing preferably has a
height of less than 6 inches, and, more preferably, less than 3 inches.
The chamber preferably has an internal volume of at least 30 cubic
centimeters, preferably between 30 and 100 cubic centimeters, and
more preferably between 40 and 80 cubic centimeters.
The water purifier preferably has an exposed surface
having rounded edges. The water purifier preferably is circular and has
a diameter of between 3 and 12 inches, most preferably about 4 1/2
inches. The height of the water purifier can be less than 6 inches, and
is preferably less than 3 inches. Most preferably, the height is about I
1/4 inches.
The water purifier can provide one or more of the
following advantages. Since the water purifier can be removably-
attached to a water-exchange fitting that is part of the circulation
system of the pool, the water purifier can be used without modification
of the plumbing system of the pool. In addition, when the purification
material is silver-cont~ining material, the water can be effectively
purified using oxidizing agents other than chlorine alone (e.g.,
potassium peroxymonosulfate).
Further, when the purification material is a monolithic
cerarnic foam with large pore sizes or is formed as large pieces that
cannot fall through openings in the water exit of the purifier.
Generally, the ceramic foam has between 10 and 45 pores per inch,
preferably between 10 and 25 pores per inch. The large pieces of

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purification material are generally between 1 and 30 mesh in size,
preferably between S and 15 mesh, and most preferably between 7 and
14 mesh. When the water purifier includes a door, the purification
material can be exchanged easily without replacing the entire water
purifier. Since the purification material preferably has a large pore size
or is formed of relatively large particles, the preferred water purifier
exerts little or no back-ples~ule on the filter as water is circulated.
The water purifier is suitable for purifying water in
small swimming pools, particularly above-ground pools with volumes
less than about 13,500 gallons. It is particularly suitable for use in
splash pools. It is preferred that the water purifier receive filtered
water.
The term "circulated," as used herein, means continuous
flow of the water to expose the water to the water purifier, for example,
as it is pumped through a filter.
Other advantages and features of the invention will be
apparent from the description of the preferred embodiment, and from
the claims.
Brief Description of the Drawiru~s
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pool including a water
purifier.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the top of a water
purifier.
FIG. 3 is a side view of the water purifier, with a cut-
away view of the inner space of the purifier.
.

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FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the water purifier and a
female-threaded water-exch~nge fitting in the wall of the pool.
FIG. 5 is a top view of a second water purifier.
FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the second water purifier.
FIG. 7 is a cross-section of the bottom of the second
water purifier.
Detailed Description
Referring to FIG. 1, splash pool 2 has a bottom 3 and
wall 4 which define the volume of the small above-ground pool. The
volume of splash pool 2 is less than 7,500 gallons. Water is circulated
in splash pool 2 by pump 6, which is attached to the side of the pool by
conduit 8. Water is circulated by a pump from an intake fitting to the
discharge fitting through conduit 8. The water can be filtered during
circulation. Water purifier 10 receives water that is pumped by pump
6.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, water purifier 10 has a
chamber 12, located inside circular housing 13, for cont~ining a
purification material (not shown) that kills bacteria in water. Chamber
12 has an internal volume of 50 cubic centimeters. Water purifier 10
has a water inlet 14 that permits water to enter chamber 12, and a water
outlet 16 that permits water to exit the chamber. Water outlet 16 has
openings 40.
The circular housing 13 has a diameter (D) of 4 1/2
inches. The housing 13 has a height (H) of about 1 1/4 inches. Water
. t

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purifier 10 generally can be made of a plastic or other suitable material,
like PVC, polyethylene, polypropylene, or other moldable plastics.
Referring to FIG. 4, water purifier 10 is removably-
connected to female-threaded water-exchange fitting 22 through male-
threaded fitting 20. Water-exch~nge fitting 22 extends through pool
wall 4.
Referring to FIGS. 5-7, an alternate water purifier has a
top 30 and a bottom 32 which serves as an access through which the
purification material can be added, removed, or replaced. Top 30 has a
space that serves as charnber 12. Bottom 32 includes water inlet 14
that has male-threaded fitting 20 that screws into the female-threaded
water-exch~nge fitting 22 of the pool.
The plcr~ d purification materials are described, for
example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,352,369 and in U.S. Ser. No. 08/628,405,
entitled "Self-Regulating Water Purification Composition" and filed
April 5, 1996, which are incorporated herein by reference. Examples
of these purification materials include silver metal on a support. The
support can be a ceramic and can include an inorganic oxide, e.g., an
aluminum oxide. The silver can be chemically deposited on the
cerarnic support or dispersed as a powder, shavings, or tl.rning~ with
the ceramic support. The plcfell~d silver content of the purification
material is between 0.1 and 10 weight percent. The purification
material can include a second metal, preferably zinc, copper,
al--minnm, iron, or m~ng~nf se, most preferably, zinc.
~ 25 The purification material is preferably formed intoparticles larger than the individual openings 40 in the water purifier,

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e.g., as pellets or as a monolithic foam, so that the material is
adequately contained in chamber 12. Alternatively, the purification
material can be contained in a porous container, for example, a mesh
bag.
It is p~ d that the purification material be used in
the presence of oxidizing agents dissolved in the water, such as, for
example, ozone, potassium peroxymonosulfate, or chlorine.
In addition to acting as an anti-microbial agent, the
purification material can effectively remove metal ions" such as
mercury, lead, cadmium, iron, m~ng~nese, copper, nickel, chromium,
barium, and arsenate, particularly when the purification material
includes silver, an inorganic oxide such as alumina, and zinc. When
zinc is included in the purification material, zinc ions can be released
into the water which enhance disinfection of the water and provide
algaestatic properties.
Other embodiments are within the claims.
What is claimed is:
~ t

Representative Drawing